Tobacco cutting mechanism



June 12, 1945. J, Fs, DURMNG 2,378,133-

TOBACCO CUTTING MECHANISM Original Filed Dec. 20, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet lk FICI June l2, 1945.

ToBAcco CUTTING MEcHAN'IsM Original Filed Dec. 20, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 62 FIG. 4

J. lP. BURNING 2,378,133 v lNvENroR 9 JHM-ff .f ,Dam/WG A TORNEY Patented June 12, 1945 UNITED STATE 'Original applicationwDecerler20,rwli4i),'Serialnll I No. 370,935.` Divided and thislapplicationlApril A" l 15,1942, Serial No.^439,067 5 (c1. 1er-,815

12 Claims.'

This invention relates to cigar machines and more particularly to improved mechanism chiefly employed inconjunction with a charge compression chamber for cutting measured bunch charges of tobacco in a more .eiiicient and practical man v nel'.

This application constitutes a divisionfof` my' co-pending application, Serial No. 370,935 `rfiled `December l2f), 1940, for *Detachable transfer pocket, now Patent No. 2,344,769,` issued March 2'1,

1944, and the invention relates further toi-cigar machines of the general type shown inmy co` pending application, Serial No, r193,244 filed March 1,1938, forFeedfor cigar lbunch machines, now Patent No.' 2,306,381,V issued *December 29, 1943, and relates to improvements therein andespecially in ,novel charge cutting mechanism for use with such cigar machines. l, l

In the operation of a cigar machine ofthis type, from time to time, it is necessary to remove the bunch charge transfer in order to make'adjustments or to replace the knife or remove the saine for'sharpening, and also to make adjustments and repairs on the bunch charge transferitself. Heretofore it has been necessary to -tear down a part of the machine in order toprovide `access to parts being adjusted, lrepaired or replaced, and hence much time and labor have .been con-I sumed carrying out these operations. According to my invention,'however,1 have eliminated all unnecessarylabor' andtearing down ofsltheA machine and, therefore, have provided a machine in which adjustments to the setting of fthe bunch charge transfer, repairs and replacements thereto can be rapidly carried out and in which the knife is readily accessible for repair, replacement or sharpening with a minimum of effort and loss of time. f v- Ihave found that a bettercutting 'action can be obtained ifa relatively thin knife be used in conjunction withA the end of the charge compression chamber andledger plate, andthat theknife can also be relatively short in lengthand somewhat bowed because the walls of the compres-v sion chamber will tend to iiattenrvthe knife and effect a scissors-like action in separating a charge of tobacco positioned in thebunch charge transfer from the tobacco in the charge compressionl chamber. Y

It is, therefore, ian object of my invention to. provide an improved charge cutting mechanism. l My inventionalsoconsists in the provision of a novel charge cutting mechanism employing a relatively thinv knife preferably bowed about itsj` longitudinal axis .whichresults in i better separation of'bunch charges? f i i Itis an added `object Qrmyinvention'tpovide a novelland improved charge cuttingfmechanism capable.- of effectingacleaner and more eflcient cutting action with substantially `vcomplete elimmation of after-drag" or pulling of'tobaccoby the knife .between the knife andfledger plate. p

It is .also an object of my inventiontoxprovide an improved charge cutting "mechanism,1and one which is especially useful in cutting cigar bunches used in'making relativelysmall'cigarsr s?,

It.r isi also. anA object oft my invention `to use separate motions in operating the charge cutting knifeand the bunch .charge transfer pocketiin order At0 obtain 'better' control inithe formation. ofv bunch charges `and make'possible' the .use of shorterL-,and thinner knives for cutting charges. Association of .operating mechanisms means that athinner knife canbe usedv and that it can ybe clampedcloser tothe cutting/'edge and'still have the rigidityneeded. f L l:

It isa further `object`of-my invention to form thelfr'ont edge' ofwthe charge compression chamberv with/a taper for coacting witha thin, bowed charge: cutting knife'rand to provide kpreferably tapered blocks, ateach endiof the chamber for flattening `the knife as it moves into charge cuttingposition..r L n f ith 'these and other objects not specifically mentioned invew, theinvention consistsk in certain v"combinations'and constructions which will behereinafterfully deScribeCL'and thenset 'forth inthe claimshereunto appended. 1;.

" :InL the accompanying, drawings,

apart of this specification, and .in which like sischa'ractersofreferencexindicate the same or like partszp: 1

'Figurel is .a partial .front elevation ofthe machine showing the Figure 5 shows the knife'in section at' an inter? mediate cutting position;

jFigure-' shows 'a' which form" improved manner1 .of mounting thefcharge transfer and also the'mech---V ployed for operating the knife and transfer pocket mechanisms.

Referring to the drawings which show a preferred form of my invention, the tobacco charge transfer, designated generally T, consists of a holder` or frame I D (Figures l and 3) so constructed as to form end walls IjI of a charge receiving pocket, and also carryplates I2 and I3 forming the upper and lower walls of the pocket. A hub I4, of holder I6, supports a slidable rod I5 carrying, as a charge ejecting plunger, plate I6 serving as the rear wall of `the pocket much in the manner of that shown in `my above referred to Patent No. 2,306,381.

The holder I0, at its ends, is equipped with bearings I1 and I8. Bearing I1 is provided lwith an open end socket or recess I9 adapted to nt over and cooperate with the ball shaped end 2D of a stud 2| loosely mounted in a hub 22 projecting from a bearing 23 of af-cross frame 24. Open slots 25 in bearing I1 serve to engage the protruding ends of a pin 26 mounted in the ball end 20 of stud 2I. The protruding ends of stud 26 preferably have flat surfaces (not shown) adapted to be engaged by the ends of set screws 28 and 29 (Figure 1) supported by bearing I1 for a purpose described hereinafter. The. stud 2I, when properly mounted, is held from moving axially in hub 22 by means of a collar 30 and an arm 3I .located at the outer end of hub 22 (Figure 1).

The bearing i8 of holder IU also has an open end socket 3'2 which may be similar to. that in bearing I1 and is adapted to receive the ball shaped end 33. of .a stud 34 loosely mounted in hub 35 extending from a bearing 36 of a frame 2 4. The bearing I8 isl provided .with an open end slot 31 engaging the projecting ends of .a

pin 38 mounted in the ball end .33 of stud 34.v

The stud 34 is held in operative position invhub 35 by means of collars 39 and 40 rlocatedat each end of the hub 35. Y I

It will be seen that excess wear on the ball ends of studs 2,0 and 34 is prevented by reason of the manner in which the, transfer Tis sup-- ported for rotation on the studs. The ball shaped ends 23 and 33, respectively, actas Self-.aligning bearings and allow some. movement` between the. studs 2|, 34 and the recesses I3 and-'i2 in the frame IIL-in order to locate the transfer pocket properly with respect .to the charge compression chamber 45, and allow adjustments to be made to raise and lower the transfer pocket relative to the lower wall 6I bymeans of screws 28 and 29 which bear against the endsof pin 26. Actual turning of the transfer pocket from horizontal charge receiving position to and from vertical discharging position is effected by the studs 2Iv and 34 through the pins 26 and 38 Vengaging the slotted portions 25 and 3'1, respectively, so that the studs 2| and 34 act as journals for the charge transfer T in hubs v22 and 35, respectively.

With the transfer pocket mounted in this manner, it may be readily dismounted from the machine for cleaning purposes Vor whenever it may be necessary to remove it to get at different part of the machine for purposessuch as mentioned hereinabove. This is accomplished by loosening a set screw 4I which secures collar 3-9 to stud 34.` The operator then grasps the collar 40- `and. pulls it axially in hub 35, whereupon the ball shaped end 33 and pin 33 move out ofl bearing I8, and the transfer pocketl is free to be disensaged from the ball end 20 of the stud 2I Thel screws 28 and 29 are set so as to engage the' ends of pin 26 but still are fi'ee to permit slipping the pocket in and out of engagement with the ball and socket arrangement.

The measured tobacco charges are delivered to a magazine (Figure 3) in the same manner as disclosed in my above referred to co-pending pocket.

application, wherein a reciprocating plunger 46 of the usual construction advances the leading end' of the tobacco column into the transfer With the tobacco charge C deposited in said pocket, a knife 41, by suitable means presently to be described, descends and cuts the tobacco charge thereby separating it from the tobacco in the magazine.

Referring to Figures 2 and 3, it will be seen that the charge cutting knife and charge transfer are operated independently of each other so that after the knife has out a charge'deposited in the charge transfer, the charge transfer is lowered, usually a greater distance than the stroke of the knife, to discharge the charge into bunch rolling mechanism.

Knife 41 is carried by a depending arm 48 of a tie bracket or cross head 49 secured to the upper ends of vertical rods 58 which are guided for movement in sleeves 5I (Figures 1 and 2) supported by the table 52 of the machine. Because of the fact that the knife has independent movement, it can be made much shorter with respect to vertical movement since its limits are bounded by the upper `end of the charge oom- Drssion chamber 45 andthe bottom of the ledger plate BI, which vmay be fixed to the bottom wall 42 `of the chamber and forms a part thereof as shown in Figure `3. The knife is clamped in outting position by a cross bar 53 detachably supported'by arm 48 by screws 43. The lower ends of rods 50 are secured to a bracket 54 (Figure 1) which is provided with a stud 55 supporting one end of a link 56 connecting to a cam lever 51 (Figure 2)- mounted on a fulcrum shaft on the this position until after the charge transfer has moved from charge receiving to charge discharging position for delivering. the charge C to the` rolling apron of the machine (not shown) and returned to its starting position ready yto receivemore tobacco from the charge compression chamber whereupon the knife 41 ascends to its upper limits and dwells.

The'knife 41 Vis preferably mounted at an angle with respect'to'ledger plate 6I (Figure 3) in order toinsure better cutting of the tobacco charge due. to the more positive shearing action which effects cleaner and more lefficient cutting with practically-complete elimination `of after-drag sometimes experienced in the use of thick knives, especially in the formation of small types of cigars due to thel movement of the cutting edge of the knife upon the ledgerplate. This means that more uniform charges are produced with mynovel cutting mechanism, and hence fewer cigars "are rejected.

At each end of the ledger plate 6I are blocks- 62 having inclined surfaces 63 Iadapted to engage the ends of theknife 4'1 when i-t isV in its.

knifeV will be lguided properly with respect to ledger plate 6I. In order to provide for better shearing action, I prefer to bow yor curve knife 41 (as shown infFigurev) becauseas the knife descends with its ends bearing against blocks 62, the cutting edge is guided into cutting position adjacent the ledger plate 6I and due to kthe relationship between the edge of the knife and the ledger plate, the knife is flexed so that itbecomes straight and bears against. the full length of the ledger to insure better cutting of tobacco with a positive shearing action. It willbe seen, therefore, that I have provided a thin knife which is self-supporting and of sufficient rigidity to function with a scissors-like action against a ledger plate in such a manner that it is self-sharpening and also haspractically no tendency to flex away from the ledger plate. This positive scissors-like shearing action pracforeyto be restricted to;the precise details of the structure shownand described.y

tically eliminates dragging and tearing of the tobacco during the cuttingof the compacted to bacco extending from the charge magazine `into With the tobacco charge C lodgedk in the transfer, it is now ready to be actuatedin order to deliver the charge to the bunch rolling, apron of the machine (not shown). This is accomplished by a cam 66 (Figure 2) vhaving a cam track 61 engaging a cam roller B8 carried by a camlever 69, the latter supporting one end of a link 10 connecting .to an arm 1| secured to a pivot shaft 12 of the machine. The shaft 12 at its other end carries another arm the same as 1l (not shown), eachof said arms supporting one end of a rod 13 connecting to their respective bearings 23 and 36 of bracket 24 (Figures 1 and 2) sliding on the vertical rods 50. i' Mounted uponv the bed 52 of the machine is a bracket 11 provided with a stationary/cam track having a, horizontal part 15 and a vertical part 16.- As shown in. Figures 1 and 2,arm 3l isprovided with a cam follower 14 engaging in track portions 1.5 and 'I6 so that when bracket 24 descends the cam follower 14 moves vfrom the horizontal track portion 15 into the vertical track portion 18 andA in so doing the transfer T is swung 90 from horizontal position to vertical position, as shown in dotted lines in Figure 3. By means of pins 26 and 38, which couple the ball shaped endsof studs 2l and 34 to the transfer pocketl T, the studs 2l and 34 act as journals turning in hubs or bearings 22 and 35, respectively, as described hereinabove.

The bracket 24 supports. a stud 18 carrying a lever 19 equipped vwith a roller 8D normally riding against the face 8| of bracket 11, the roller 80 being held in engagement withthe face by means of a spring 82 (Figure 3) located in a housingv 83 of bracket 24. As bracket 24 approaches its down position, the roller 8U rides off its surface 8| permittingthe spring 82 to depress the end 84 of lever 19 which encounters the lhead of the plunger rod I5 causing the plungerJB to expelA the tobacco charge into the loop of the rolling apron of the machine.

The invention above described may be varied in construction within the scope of the claims,-

for the particular device, selected to illustrate y operation.

luna vcigar machine, a bunch charge transfer, means for l moving lsaid transfer to and from bunchv charge i receiving and y discharging positions, a tobacco. compression 4chamber, guide blocks adjacent-thevends @of said chamber, a thin, bowed charge cuttingknife mounted adjacent said chamber and having its ends bearing against said blocks, and means for moving said knife downwardly" into. charge, cutting "position and; for straightening said knife during. said 2. Inacigarmachine, abunch charge transfer, a tobacco vcompression chamber, a device for. mov

ingsaid transfer to and from' bunch charge re-l ceiving and.;discharging positions, said` chamber having Aa discharge opening for discharging tobacco therethrough f-.into said transfer, and mechanism for .cutting bunchl charges Vof tobacco from tobaccofed from said chamber, said mecha# nism comprising a knife support, a bowed; knife mounted ingsaid` support, means for actuating said support to move said knife and cut a charge of tobacco prior to theoperation of said device.' `anddevicesin the path of movement of said knife constructed `and arrangedto straightenv said knife duringvfits'. cutting;movement .f; .u.

3. In;a. cigar machine havinga tobacco compression;:.chamber,providedA with a discharge opening, a ledgerplate adjacent said opening, a, charge transfer provided with a bunch charge receiving pocket normally positioned in alignmentwith said chamber, mechanism for cutting bunchv charges of tobacco from the tobacco in said chamber comprising across head, agrelatively thin bowedknifefixed to said cross head for travel, therewith, guide means adjacent the opening offsaidchamber for guiding and flattening said-knife as. it'moves downwardly to cut charges', and means V for moving said transfer fromfreceiving to discharging position after a charge has been f cuty from said tobacco in said chamber.V 'j

4. In a cigar machine, a bunch charge transfer provided with .a bunch charge receiving pocket, and means for ejecting, abunch therefrorma re ciprocating. cross-headfmounting said transfer for -movement to .and from charge receiving position,. a chargecompression chamber'adapted to containwa column of tobacco, and `mechanism for'separatingbunch.charges from the tobacco in said chamber comprising a movable knife support, a thin bowed knife carried by said support, means for operating said support tomove to contain a supply of tobacco for said transfer,r

a reciprocating cross head, ay thin bowed knife, means for mounting said knife angularly in said cross head, a ledger plate, guiding blocks adjacent the ends of `said ledger plate, and means for moving said cross headl to move said knife into cooperation with and along said blocks to flatten said knife'and guide the cutting edge thereof against said ledger plate to sever charges! of tobacco from said supply in said chamber.

6. In a cigar machine having means for form ing bunch charges of tobacco and transferring Athem to a rolling station, a. Vbunch charge compression chamber adapted `to contain tobacco from which said charges may be formed and having a discharge opening through which said tobacco may be moved, `a, thin bowed knife, a ledgerV plate adiacentone edgevof said opening,

tapered guide blocks located adjacent the ends' of said 'ledger plate, andnieans for moving said knife downwardly along said blocks -to atten said knife and guide the cutting edge thereof into cutting .relationship with said plate to separate charges of tobacco therefrom. p

7. Ina cigar machine having 'a *charge compression chamber -ad'apted to contain a supply-of tobacco and a bunch charge transfer for holding and transferring bunch charges of tobacco cut therefrom to rolling mechanism, and means for moving said transfer to discharge position, mechanism for cutting bunch Acharges of tobacco from said tobacco in said chamber, said mechanism including a thin bowed knife, a ledger plate, guide blocks adjacent the' ends of said ledger plate, and means for moving said knife along said blocks and into cooperation with said 'ledger plate for straightening said knife during the cutting operations to provide a shearing action.

8. Tobacco cutting mechanism comprising a support for tobacco, means for advancing tobacco along said support to a cutting position; a thin bowed knife mounted adjacent said position, means for moving said knife downwardly to cut said tobacco, and means operative by movement of said knife relative to said support at said position for straightening said knife during said cutting operation.

9'. Tobacco cutting mechanism comprising a support for tobacco including a channel having spaced tobacco confining walls, means for advancing tobacco along said channel to a cutting position, a. ledger plate mounted on one of said compression chamber adapted to contain a coll umn of tobacco, mechanism for separating Vbunch charges from' the tobacco in said chamber comprising, a movable knife support, a thin bowed knife carried by said support, means for operating said support to move said knife between said chamber and said pocket to cut charges of tobacco from said column, means for flattening said knife to produce a positive shearing effect on said tobacco during the cutting operation, and means operative at the conclusion of said cutting operation for operating said cross head to cause said transfer to move from charge receiving position to and from a charge delivering position.

11. In a cigar machine, a bunch charge transfer provided with a bunch receiving pocket and means for ejectng a bunch charge therefrom, a cross head mounting said transfer for movement to and from charge receiving position, a charge compression chamber adapted to contain a column of tobacco, mechanism for separating bunch charges from the tobacco in said chamber comprising, a movable knife support, a thin bowed knife, means mounting said knife in said support at an angle with said chamber, means on said chamber constructed and arranged to be engaged by said knife during its movement relative to said chamber for flattening said knife to produce a positive shearing effect on said tobacco during the cutting operation, and means operative at the conclusion of said cutting operation for operating said cross head to move said transfer from charge receiving position to and from a charge delivering position. i

l2. in a cigar machine having a tobacco compression chamber provided with a discharge opening, said chamber including a channel having spaced confining wallsflying in substantially parallel vertically spaced horizontal planes, a ledger plate carried by the lower of said walls and mounted adjacent said opening, a, charge transfer provided with a bunch charge receiving pocket normally positioned substantially in alignment with' said chamber, means for advancing tobacco along said channel and into said pocket, means for cutting bunch charges of tobacco from the tobacco in said channel comprising a cross head,

a relatively thin bowed knife xed to said cross head for travel therewith across said discharge opening of said chamber, means for guiding and iiattening said knife as it moves to charge cutting position, means for holding saidknife stationary to close said channel after a charge has been out, and means for moving said transfer from receiving to discharging position prior to the return of said knife to inoperative position.

JAMES P. BURNING. 

